Journey is a prequel to the Secrets Saga books, Hidden Secrets and Deadly Secrets. In this novella you learn some of the life history of Rose, Cortne and Aj. We also see a glimpse of the beginning of their friendship. Rose How do you explain to a family that you lost their dead loved one? Especially, when said family is standing right behind you? To all the patients at work, she appears to have everything going for her. Beauty and brains, should make for an easy life right. Well they would never guess the strong confident nurse they have taking care of them is abused every day at home.

Patients predicting their own death and foretelling a future she doesn’t want to believe. Does she stay or let the predicted future come to life. Why does she leave her family? Why doesn’t she tell anyone what she is when she finds out? Cortne and Aj What have they seen that make them accept the things that come to pass? The Three of Them What trials have they gone through that bind them? What have they seen that make them accept all that happens to each of them. We take a glance back at snapshots of their lives to see if it can help us understand them any better.

Excerpt

At nine that night, I carried the sleeping boy to his bed and headed towards mine. It had been a long week, I may just sleep all night and day. I crawled into my bed, and turned the lamp off. The darkness of the room made me uncomfortable for some reason. I dozed off anyway, at some point in the night something woke me up.

To this day, I don’t know what. My room was glowing red. All the curtains were closed and lights were off. Even the door was closed. The air felt heavy, I felt threatened. My heart raced, my breathing was labored; I had broken out in a sweat. What was this? I spoke out loud, following my gut. “This is my house and you are not welcome here. Leave here and leave all in this place alone,” I said through closed eyes, afraid of what I may see in the red glow. The heaviness slowly lifted but I didn’t open my eyes until the next morning. Josh didn’t mention it to me and I damn sure wasn’t going to scare him.

Later that day I took my horse out for a ride through the woods. The sun was so damn bright my sunglasses just weren’t helping. My eyes felt like someone had lit a match and thrown into each of them. Hence, the ride in the woods, it was shadier.

After about an hour of riding straight into the depths of the forest, I turned my horse around and began making my way out. I had ridden in these woods for most of my childhood. I knew every inch of them. I rounded the big oak to see a man standing there. He startled me, I almost yelled but remained calm. “Hi, are you lost?”

Rose has been struggling for years to find out about the mysterious illness that’s killing her. She’s decided to end her life after one last trip to the French Quarter…Her plans go awry when the sexy Caleb Glasson, who carries a dark secret, saunters into her life. She discovers that she’s not what she appears to be, to rest of the world. The only man that can unlock that secret is dead at Caleb’s hand. The most startling epiphany is that she has latent powers that will emerge in a haunting thrilling story that will answer all of her questions.

Excerpt

What a sight, she thought they were in violation of every vampire lore out there. They were awake during the day, driving a convertible with the roof down, enjoying the sunshine through their dark glasses, of course. The wind made conversation hard and she was grateful. She didn’t know what to say and didn’t know if she could stand to hear what he had to say. The car ride would only last so long. She had to pull herself together. By the time they arrived at the airport, she had reined her emotions in and was ready for anything he could throw at her. Thanks to private airports and no security, she had been able to keep her knives. As they boarded the plane Caleb asked, “Where to? The pilot needs to know where he can file a flight plan.”

The wedding was supposed to stop the endless stream of death threats. It seems someone didn’t get the message. As the family struggles to find the person or persons sending the threats, they face problem after problem. Rose is developing new powers so fast she's having a difficult time keeping up with them. New family members have been discovered that were erased from the family history. There is even possibly a betrayal from within their own family. Whom can Rose and Caleb trust? Who is out to kill them? Will they figure it out in time to save themselves and their family? Or will they discover the truth too late to save everyone they love?

EXCERPT

***Rose***

I crouched there looking down, sliding my tongue over my unsheathed fangs, which pricked it, and allowing the precious blood to seep into my mouth. Tasting the sweet taste of the iron rich liquid, my thirst spiked. The raw desire of hunger ate at me, like a wild animal chewing on a bone.

This wasn’t about hunger though, it was anger, and it was about protecting my family. Hearing Caleb and the others beating at the door, knowing I only had minutes before someone got the doors open. Looking deep in myself, breathing deeply I released the leash I kept on my powers. I felt them slam into me, for once the feel of thousands of bolts of lightning hitting me made me feel powerful, it wasn’t painful this time.

***Collin***

I stood still watching my sister-in-law. I had no idea what she was up to. I’d heard she had a protective streak and was very lethal when she wanted to be. Even though I couldn’t see this slip of a woman being lethal, I’d wait and see. I was caught off guard by what I saw with my own eyes.

The books went to flying off the shelves all around my library. Furniture began floating. The fireplace was erupting with flames all the while my little sister-in-law was still crouched looking down at the floor. Books that were flying off the shelves finally took on an ordered chaos as they were circling around and over me. Trying to get out of the room, I found I was fixed in place.

The fireplace calmed down, the furniture sat back on the floor. I was still fixed in place unable to move and books still circled around and over me. Looking at Rose she was still crouched, never looking up.

When she did what I saw startled me.

Standing slowly, she walked to me. Caleb was beating on the metal door that stood between him and his wife.

As she approached me I guess the fear in my eyes made Rose smile. “You see now I’m no child for you to mess with. You ever kidnap me again, it won’t matter who you’re related to. I’ll kill you and won’t tell them you’re a good guy.”

“Why are your eye’s…That’s not normal.” My voice quivered with the fear, no terror I felt.

“It doesn’t matter. All that does matter is you realize that those people behind that door are mine. I love each and every one of them. If you do anything to harm them, I won’t show you mercy. Vampire or not I can kill you. You may have gotten the drop on me once and drugged me. That was the only time it will ever happen. You better be truthful in all dealing with us or you will see what all isn’t normal about me.”

Waving her hand, the entire room returned to perfection. I shook my head half in shock but completely terrified of her.

Rose looked down, blinking a few times. When she looked at me again all traces of the person she had been seconds earlier was gone.

“Open that door for me, if you don’t mind.” Rose all but ordered it.

“Sure thing Rose.” I did so as fast as I could. I didn’t want to be in a room with her alone any longer than I had to. As the door opened, her family rushed out all speaking at once.

“What happened? What was all that noise? Is everything okay?”

Smiling at her beloved family then turning to look at me before she spoke, “Everything is just fine. Isn’t it Collin?”

“It’s great.” I gave my best smile, even though I was scared at the moment.

Caleb looked around the room, looking for some indication at what had happened. He found none. “Rose let’s go to bed.”

“I’m past ready. I hope the bed is a soft one, after being on that hard silver table for a few days.” Rose said as she walked down the hall towards the bedrooms.

As she walked through the door it closed behind her. I sat on the floor. It had been all the years of training to look tough that had kept me from doing just this earlier. I would not show fear.

Secrets Revealed

Blurb

Rose is tired of her and her family being hunted, so she decides to do the hunting herself and takes Cortne along with her. They end up taking a few detours along the way, learning more about Rose’s past and her family. Does being a Sun Witch add more problems to her life or does it make it easier? Facing severe fatigue and needing to feed frequently makes the hunt more difficult. They already found the traitor in the family, or did they? Is everyone who they appear to be? Has her family been honest with her? Has she been honest with herself? Are friends truly friends or are they enemies lying in wait?

Excerpt

Cortne

“Cool tats!” I almost yelled when I saw the tats on the upper portions of both of Rose’s arms.

“What tats?”

“The eclipses on each of your arms, they are mirror images of each other.”

“They marked me…” I heard Rose whisper.

“What? Who?”

“Nevermind, we have to set up a meeting with Drake.”

“I’m already on it. I called while you were still in bed. We have a meeting at four this afternoon. That gives you two hours to get your shit together. Whatever happened earlier you need to get your mind wrapped around it.”

“My mind is around it. I’m just tired. Maybe I will nap for a bit.” She snapped.

She turned and headed inside, leaving me alone on the balcony. My mind drifted to Sean. It had been months since I’d seen him. I’d kept our separation from Rose by lying to my best friend. I saw the love her and Caleb had. I wanted that, but Sean just couldn’t accept me being a wolf. He’d tried, he really had. I’d planned to tell Rose the divorce was final on our girls’ day. That plan had gone to hell.

I really needed to talk about this with someone, but Rose had too much on her plate now. She would be pissed when she found out I’ve been keeping this from her. I called Aj. Her voice filled with laughter as she answered the phone.

Author Bio

I was born in Houston, Texas in 1977, to an interesting family. My mother and father separated when I was young. I lived with my mother who later remarried a wonderful man, who had a huge impact on me as I grew up. I have always had a love of reading, mostly paranormal. As a child, I would sneak up at late night, when my mom thought I was sleeping, to read. We moved around a lot, eventually settling in Deep East Texas. I married at a young age and eventually divorced. I have raised my now 16 year old son alone. I work full time as a pre-hospital nurse and sometimes see things that would make the rest of you have nightmares. On other days, I'm blessed to see miracles. These things are what drive me to write.

I describes my job as- “I fight to save people’s lives. Sometimes I lose, sometimes I win. It's the emotional roller coaster of that job, which leads me to writing. I'm able to put those emotions into my characters and let them out of my heart and soul.”

In 2006, I was diagnosed with a rare disease, shortly after that I was told I would be on full disability in five years and most likely to be dead in ten. I've fought to live a normal life every day since and I'm beating those odds. I work at a demanding job, I'm a single mom, care for an elderly mother, and two hyperactive dogs.

On April 17, 2013 I faced another challenge in my life when my home was destroyed in the explosion in West, TX. I lost many friends and almost everything I own. Once again I have fought to get through it and I'm finally starting to feel normal again.

Hot tempered, Mabe O'Banyon will do whatever it takes to keep the family's Irish pub, Shenanigans, out of the mob's dirty hands. She quickly learns, though, their attorney and the bank will offer no help. So, she calls in the reinforcements--Mara and Meg. She hasn't seen her two sisters for years, but her desperate message brings them running.

Commercial real estate developer, Aaron Shaw has a secret. He arrives in Monticello, FL, expecting to purchase a quaint Irish pub and move on to his next conquest. But the transaction doesn't take place as planned--in fact, it doesn't take place at all. The hardheaded owner--a stunning redhead with curves that don't quit--isn't selling.

With time running out and the mob on their heels, Aaron wants nothing more than to save the woman he's fallen for from impending danger. Mabe is torn between a man she loves but can't trust and the need to hold on to her family's pub. Their choices lead them down a path neither could have guessed.

One-liner

While being threatened by the mob, a hot-headed barkeep goes toe-to-toe with a real estate developer who wants to save her and falls head-over-heels...until she learns he's been keeping a horrible secret.

I can't remember a time when I didn't want to write. From the time I was learned enough to string sentences together I liked writing stories. In high school I was the literary editor of our school magazine Sketches and had a series of short stories that I'd written even then. I'm published with two wonderful publishers, World Castle and Solstice Publishing, and on my own as an Indie.

I live in Florida with my two adult children and my husband of 30+ years. I have a wonderful dog named Snickers that can even open her own Christmas presents! (don't believe me? Look below) When I'm not working full time in the insurance industry, I write. I believe any writer should write because they love the craft. The rest will come in time. I hope you enjoy reading my stories as much as I've enjoyed writing them.

The door to the pub swung open for a tall, ebony haired man wearing an expensive tan suit. Mabe straightened. Riveted, she stared at his strikingly angular face. His chin, grooved by a slight dimple, struck her as sexy.

His gaze roamed the bar, settling on her. Warmth radiated through her entire body. Never had she felt such an intense attraction to a man. Who the hell is he? She didn’t recall ever seeing him in the pub. Her nerves tingled. Resembling a panther, he wove his way through the crowd. Slightly ashamed of her attraction to a strange man at her father’s wake, she turned her back, resuming her position behind the bar. She spoke to several patrons, mentally noting their drink orders on her way.

“No one could pull a pint like your da,” an old grizzled man at the end of the mahogany counter stated. “Smooth like silk he was.”

She picked up a glass of Coke, clinked it against Angus’s mug. “And to you.”

“I’ll have one of those if you don’t mind,” a deep voice spoke from behind her.

Turning, ready with a flirty response on her tongue, she came face to face with her handsome stranger. His eyes matched the deep rich mahogany of the bar. His smile, while slightly crooked, seemed genuine and swept the words right out of her brain.

“Uh…sure. Name your poison.”

“Guinness?”

Mabe nodded, pulled the beer, scraping the foam from the top. “I’ve never seen you here before. What’s your name, and how did you know my dad?”

His gaze caught hers, sympathy reflected in his eyes. She tried to look away, but she couldn’t. The man was a god.

She set the beer in front of him. “Nah, we’re all friends here. It is a private party, but stay if you’d like.” She gestured. “Those are my sisters Meg and Mara. We own the place now.”

“It’ll be hard to run it without your father, won’t it?”

Mabe sighed, leaning on her elbows. “It won’t be the same, for sure, but we’ll do okay. It’ll take some work….” She glanced lovingly around the pub with all its Irish paraphernalia adorning he walls. “Da, loved this place. I grew up here. It’s our place. We’ll make it work.”

She shivered, feeling his intense stare. Her skin burned under the laser scan of his eyes. Her pulse jumped. If the room were empty except for the two of them, he’d be in some serious trouble. He took a sip of the Guinness, still staring at her over the mug.

She licked her lips then broke the gaze. She swiped at the glossy mahogany top with a rag. “What brings you to town?”

“Business,” was his response.

“Ooh, cryptic, are we?” She flirted.

“Suits me for now.”

A man at the end of the counter signaled for her. She held up a finger then approached her guest. She served a few more beers, all the while being extremely aware of his gaze. His allure was more powerful than any she’d ever experienced. Monticello wasn’t full of dashing men in expensive suits, but it had its fair share of good lookers. Lord knew she’d flirted with some from time to time, even dated a few, but none of them stirred in her what this man did.

No longer needed, she returned to him, eyeing his empty mug. “Another?”

He nodded, offered her a smile.

Her knees weakened. She steadied herself by grasping the smooth wood. What the hell is wrong with me? She pulled his beer, but before she handed it to him she asked, “What did you say your name was?”

He chuckled. “I didn’t.”

She set the mug down in front of him. “Oh, come on. You’re not going to waltz into my pub during my daddy’s wake and not tell me who you are. It’s not polite.”

One dark eyebrow rose. “Not polite, huh?”

“Not at all,” she declared, leaning on the bar, offering him her most dazzling smile.

“Okay then…if you insist.

“I do.”

He held out his hand. Mabe reached out, taking his warm palm in hers. The air between them practically crackled with tension. “Aaron Shaw.”

Her previously heated blood froze. In one swift moment, all the allure she’d experienced earlier evaporated. This is the shark trying to buy my pub. The nerve of this man, waltzing in here, flirting with me, when all the while he’s casing the joint for a future purchase. She grabbed his beer unceremoniously dumping it on his head. The dark brew dripped from his hair all over his tan suit.

Book Description:Loving Chris Henderson would be wrong. Diabolically disastrous. I mean, what is there about him to love? He’s moody, bossy, brooding, a control freak, and that’s on a good day … but there was one achingly obvious fact that haunted my every thought, every minute of every day …

He sure could kiss.

As the countdown to the new millennium begins, there is one thing everyone agrees on: no one wants to be in Onslow for New Year’s Eve.

So that can only mean one thing: road trip!

No longer the mousey, invisible, shy girl from years ago, Tammy Maskala is finally making up for all those lost summers. A new year with new friends, which astoundingly includes the bossy boy behind the bar, Chris Henderson.

She likes her new friends (at least most of them), so why does she secretly feel so out of place?

After chickening out on the trip, a last-minute change of heart sees Tammy racing to the Onslow Hotel, fearing she’s missed her chance for a ride. The last thing she expected to meet was a less-than-happy Onslow Boy leaning against his black panel van.

Now the countdown begins to reach the others at Point Shank before the party is over and the new year has begun. Alone in a car with only the infuriating Chris Henderson, Tammy can’t help but feel this is a disastrous start to what could have been a great adventure. But when the awkward road trip takes an unexpected turn, Tammy soon discovers that the way her traitorous heart feels about Chris is the biggest disaster of all.

Fogged up windows, moonlight swimming, bad karaoke and unearthed secrets; after this one summer nothing will ever be the same again.

C.J Duggan is an Australian author who lives with her husband in a rural border town of New South Wales, Australia.The Boys of Summer is Book One in her Mature Young Adult Romance Series.For more on C.J and ‘The Summer Series’, visit www.cjdugganbooks.com

“These graphics suck,” George says and I look back at the screen. We’re standing in the middle of the Estate, colorful orbs quivering ahead of us. We each have to choose our starting advantage. Waterfalls shimmer in the distance and the sunlight streams over multicolored stones in the courtyard.

“Amateurs,” Lanyon concurs. “I mean, they couldn’t have five waterfalls?”

“Your ironic wit is mind blowing, but choose your damn orbs,” I tell them. I consider. Magic, defense, offense, stealth, and charisma. I always go for magic as a black mage, but I wonder if a druid needs something else. Screw it. I need charisma in real life, too.

“Charisma?” Lanyon asks. “No one ever picks charisma.”

“We’re a party of a thief, druid, and a bard. We’re screwed regardless.”

“You two underestimate the mighty power of my lute,” George argues.

“Did you start with charisma?” Lanyon asks.

“Hell, no. I have charisma in spades. I started with stealth.”

“Great. A stealthy bard,” I sigh.

“She’s right,” Lanyon concedes. “We’re screwed.”

However, it actually isn’t bad at all at first. We power through the Estate and make it to the Yobanaria Dale with no resurrections and all at level ten. I’m impressed. George hasn’t actually fought anything, but he has some pretty awe-inspiring charm mastery already. I think I might have a serious crush. He seals the deal when he buffs my hailstorm spell without even being asked.

“Yeah, we’ve got it,” I tell him. “The first boss is in the elven ruins anyway, so we should grind a bit. I think he’s a twelve.”

George and I explore the Dale, taking out bats and Joba spores. It’s fairly quiet, except for when we combo with his charms and my spells and he yells out, “Eat lute, bitch,” but it’s nice. We work well, almost inherently understanding each other. I’ve never been able to play this effectively with anyone. I try not to think about his eyes. Stupid boys, being cute and stuff.

By the time Lanyon comes back, we’re all at level 12, although Lanyon leveled up just by standing by a door while we played. Still, we are ready to take on Balsa the Proud. As a black mage, it took me about nine seconds. Trees don’t like fire. However, druids don’t have the same level of black magic and all elemental magic is weakened by the need to draw from the elements nearby. Sadly, trees seem to avoid storing fire runes in their villages. I expect this to be a little more challenging. It might even take fifteen seconds.

“First boss. Also known as the freebie bitch to sucker the young folks into a false sense of security,” Lanyon announces as he runs into the center of Balsa’s lair. The cinema plays and then, in a moment of pure absurdity, El Thiefelo is squished as Balsa steps on him.

“Can someone revive me?” Lanyon whines.

Dream Cast:

About the Authors:

Sarah Daltry:

Sarah Daltry writes about the regular people who populate our lives. She's written works in various genres - romance, erotica, fantasy, horror. Genre isn't as important as telling a story about people and how their lives unfold. Sarah tends to focus on YA/NA characters but she's been known to shake it up. Most of her stories are about relationships - romantic, familial, friendly - because love and empathy are the foundation of life. It doesn't matter if the story is set in contemporary NY, historical Britain, or a fantasy world in the future - human beings are most interesting in the ways they interact with others. This is the principle behind all of Sarah's stories.

Sarah has spent most of her life in school, from her BA and MA in English and writing to teaching both at the high school and college level. She also loves studying art history and really anything because learning is fun.

When Sarah isn't writing, she tends to waste a lot of time checking Facebook for pictures of cats, shooting virtual zombies, and simply staring out the window.

She has written several books, most notably Bitter Fruits, an urban fantasy in the Eden’s Fall series, and the Flowering series, including Forget Me Not, Lily of the Valley, and Star of Bethlehem.

Pete Clark:

Pete Clark likes writing, animals, potato chips, and cheese. Midnight Riders is his first published novel, although he can also proudly say he finally finished Helix Crashing, the fantasy novel he has been working on for over a decade. In addition, he has written Across the Barren Landscape, a collection of linked Western short stories. He also writes plays, both dramatic and comedic.

When he is not writing, Pete tends to ignore everyone around him and obsess over sports.